Powers
Powers are extraordinary abilities either naturally possessed by a creature or channeled through various energy sources. These Powers allow the character to enhance their existing characteristics, manipulate the environment, and attack other characters. Building Powers follows the following process: * Pick a Base Power * Adjust the duration, if necessary * Determine the Base Points and effects * Add Additional effects and calculate the Total Active Points * Add Limitations and calculate the Actual Point Cost * Determine the Stamina cost, if necessary * Purchase the Power Using a Power Unless stated otherwise, activating a Power requires an action on the character's turn. The Power then takes effect immediately, though Powers targeting an unwilling creature require the user to make a successful Accuracy check versus their target's Dodge. The characteristic used for Accuracy checks depends on the Power's Source. Additionally, all Powers require energy to activate, typically taken at the expense of the user. When the character activates a Power, they take Stamina damage equal to 1/5th of the Power's Total Active Points. If the number isn't divisible by 5, the character rounds to the closest whole number when determining how much damage they take; Total Active Points with a number ending in 3 round up. * For Example: Aran has a Blast built on a 20 Total Active Points. When he activates it, he takes 4 points of Stamina damage as he consumes energy to activate the ability. If the Power has a Maintained duration (see Duration), the character doubles the Stamina cost and cannot recover the damage from using the Power for as long as it is active. * For Example: Willow has an Armor Power based on 16 Character Points. It costs her 6 Stamina to Activate, and she cannot recover that Stamina for as long as she Maintains the Armor. Sources Every Power comes from a Source, whether it's the character's inner strength, their environment, an extraordinary patron, or their own physical capabilities. The chosen source affects what Powers the character can take and the Primary Characteristic used for Accuracy checks and other bonuses. * Natural Abilities: The Power functions as an inherent part of the creature, basing itself on the creature's Body. Any creature can take Powers as Natural Abilities, but the list of Powers under this source is much more limited than channeling Prana, Primal, or Psychic energy. * Prana: Drawn from the character's soul, Prana represents a creature's life energy; other terms for Prana include ki, chi, and mana. Because Prana is linked to the character's life force, it acts as an extension of their will and utilizes Charisma for Accuracy rolls and Characteristic Bonuses. * Primal: Drawn from the environment, Primal energy represents the Power of nature. Natural energy is more unwieldy than Prana or Psychic energy, and therefore requires greater skill to use properly. For that reason, Primal Powers use Intelligence for Accuracy rolls and Characteristic Bonuses * Psychic: Psychic energy is drawn from a mental link between the creature and a patron, usually a god or other source of phenomenal, cosmic Power. Because this energy comes from an external force greater than the character's own Power, Psychic energy users must have a strong Ego to maintain the link to their patron and prevent themselves from becoming overwhelmed by the forces they tap into. Aside from determining what Characteristic is used for Accuracy checks and bonuses, Powers can have varying effects based on their Source. Psychic Blasts, for example, target a character's Mental Defense instead of their Physical or Energy Defenses, while Natural Drains cannot be Dispelled. Targets Every Power has a target, whether it's the user, another creature, or an Area of Effect. A Power targeting the user can only affect the character who purchased the Power, while Powers targeting other creatures can be used on anything the user wants. Powers with an Area of Effect target a specified space and affect every creature within that space. Duration Powers have a specified duration for which they last, whether it's a brief second or hours. Time is represented by the following terms. * Instant: The Power lasts just long enough to affect it's target and ceases to function. * Turns: The Power takes effect when activated and lasts until the start of its user's next turn. * Rounds: The Power takes effect when activated and lasts for a number of turns equal to the character's Speed, plus an additional number of rounds if the Power's duration receives a bonus from the user's Characteristics. * Maintained: The Power takes effect when activated and lasts for as long as the user concentrates on it. A character can always Maintain 1 Power without suffering from any penalties, but they take a -2 to Dodge and Accuracy rolls for every addition Power they maintain. Additionally, if the character is Stunned, unconscious, or killed, all of their Maintained Powers deactivate. * Persistent: The Power is always active, even when the character is asleep, gets Stunned, or is knocked unconscious. If the Power is deactivated somehow, like as the result of a Dispel Power, the character can spend an action reactivating the Power. Range Distance is represented space the user needs to be in between themselves and their intended target. * Self: The Power either only affects the user, or it begins from the user's space and radiates out. * Touch: The user must be able to reach out with their hand and make contact with their target. * Range: The Power works over multiple meters away from the user. Typically, the Power's range equals its Base Points multiplied by 10. Cost Three factors are taken into consideration when calculating how many Character Points a Power costs the character to learn. * Base Points: Base Points represent the cost of the Power before any Additions or Limitations are factored in. This includes effect dice, time intervals the Power takes effect for, or the meters of additional distance the character can move. * Total Active Points: Total Active Points represents the total cost of the Power after factoring in Base Points and Additions. If a Power doesn't have any Additions, the Total Active Points equals its Base Points. If the Power has any Additions, the Total Active Points is increased by a ratio listed by the Addition. * Actual Point Cost: The Actual Point Cost factors in the Power's Total Active Points and reduces that number according to the Power's Limitations. This is actual number of Character Points the character pays to learn the Power. A single Power can only be so potent before the character can't control the technique. If a Power's Total Active Points exceeds twice the source's Primary Characteristic (the character's Body, Charisma, Ego, or Intelligence as dictated by the Power's Source), the character cannot use the Power. Characteristics Bonus Some Powers receive bonuses based on the primary Characteristic. Attack Powers deal more damage, movement Powers allow the user to travel further, and defense powers grant more protection. The primary Characteristic is the same one the character uses to determine the Power's Accuracy, as specified under power's Sources. Base Powers When a character constructs a Power, they choose one to act as the base and determine the ability’s primary function. * Armor: The character raises their Physical, Energy, Mental or Power defense. * Blast: The character releases a burst of energy to attack a foe * Boost: The character either temporarily increases a stat or heal a drained Characteristic * Change Size: The character increases or decreases their size. * Clairvoyance: The character views a remote area as if they were there. * Command: The character forces a target into completing an action they demand of them. * Darkness: The character creates a zone suppressing one predetermined sense * Disable: The character temporarily damages a target's senses or limbs * Dispel: The character suppresses an ongoing spell effect * Drain: The character temporarily lowers an enemy's stats * Enhanced Senses: The character augments their existing sight, hearing, smell/taste, and touch senses * Entangle: The character binds a target's limbs * Extra Limbs: The character has additional appendages that fulfill multiple functions * Fly: The character flies through the air * Heal: The character restores Health or Stamina damage they or a willing target have suffered. * Illusion: The character creates an image of an object or living creature * Invisibility: The character renders themselves undetectable to one sense * Jump: The character leaps greater distances * Morph: The character transforms their appearance or how others perceive them. * Run: The character improves their run speed * Strike: The character increases their melee damage. * Structure: The character creates a structure composed of a predetermined substance * Swim: The character moves through water more quickly * Telekinesis: The character propels an object or a nearby creature in a designated direction * Telepathy: The character communicates with another creature without being detected by other creatures * Warp: The character moves from one space to another instantaneously through tears in space. Additional Effects Characters can add various Additional effects to modify their Powers and give them different uses. Additions increase the Total Active Points in proportion to the Power's Base Points, exponentially increasing the Power's cost as the ability becomes more Powerful. There is no limit to how many Additions may be added to a Power, so long as the Total Active Points falls into whatever restrictions the Game Master puts on them. Available Additional Effects * Area of Effect: The character's Power affects a large area instead of a single target * Armor Piercing: The attack's damage completely ignores the target's Armor and Damage Reduction. * Charges: The character eliminates Stamina costs for Powers by limiting the number of times the Power can be used per day. * Contagious: The Power also affects people who touch the original victim * Delayed Effect: The character prepares the Power in advance * Dispel Resistance: The Power is more resilient to Dispel attempts * Impenetrable: The Power is impervious to Penetrating abilities. * Impervious: The Power is impervious to Armor Piercing abilities. * Imperceptible: The Power is more difficult to perceive. * Penetrating: The Power ignores the target's Resistance, Toughness, or Willpower. * Persistent: The Power lasts for a Persistent duration, making it more difficult to deactivate. * Rapid Fire: The character's Power activates multiple times in a single round. * Range Advantages: The Power's range is increased, or it's effectiveness at a distance is improved. * Selective: The character creates a safe zone in a Power's area of effect. * Trigger: The character designates conditions under which the Power activates Limitations A Power can take limitations to reduce the total CP cost of the Power. Which ones they are allowed to take is dependent on the Power, and but otherwise any restrictions on how many Limitations Powers can take is up to the Game Master. Available Limitations * Always On: A Power that negatively impacts other characters cannot be turned off. * Extra Time: A Power takes move time than usual to take effect * Focus: A character has difficulties dodging while activating or maintaining the Powers * Implement: A Power requires a physical object to be cast through * Incantations: A Power requires a verbal component when being cast * Limited Defense: A defensive Power is less effective against certain types of attacks * Range Limitations: A Power's range or ability to work at a distance is decreased. * Required Roll: A Power requires use of a skill or characteristic roll to be performed properly * Requires Multiple Users: A Power requires more than one caster to function * Side Effects: The caster suffers side effects when using the Power.